Trek to Nairobi

Today, I went exploring in downtown Nairobi because Sanergy was busy doing surveying that I would simply be a burden. Originally I was going to go exploring one of the slums with them but wasn't able to. So instead, I went to town by myself....I took the matatu with the Shashin and Miriam but walked around the area by myself. The purpose of today was to get a sense of the materials that were in the hardware stores. I wasn't able to see what photos that Jesika had previously sent out but I was able to see what kind was available. Ani had suggested that we should just focus on the materials available rather than the prices because obviously those who sell them to us are ripping us off especially since we are foreigners.

Anyways, it seems that they are well supplied in PVC pipes (called PPM here) which are green. The sizes that they come in go from 20 mm, 25 mm, ...and so on in those increments to 73 mm. I don't know what size we are exactly looking at but the results that Jesika had gotten from her one day seems to be relatively the same. The few places that I went to didn't seem to be selling sand/gravel but it could also be that those hardware stores were more interested in selling parts. The connections from the showerheads to the piping seem to be readily available as well. It seems like getting materials won't be that much of a problem and we should probably try to bring some back or see if we can match it with some stuff we have back home so we can test when we get back. I feel like Jesika probably got a better sense of what materials were in town because most of the hardware owners seem to be Indian.

Also, I went to go visit the Ikotoilets today which was an experience because I had paid 15 shillings just to take a picture (I didn't really want to use it). There were 4 stalls per gender with about 20 or 30 people crowded in the area waiting in line. After paying, each person was given some toilet paper and then would wait in line. After going, they would use the buckets from outside to dump down the toilets and then there were sinks for them to wash their hands. From what I've heard, Ikotoilets are pretty big in Nairobi at least in the city but there weren't any showers there...

Anyways, that's mostly what Showergy related things I had today. Tomorrow the plan is to go to Kibera with Ani and check out the existing showers there.

PICTURESSS (YAY)

(Top to bottom: PPM pipes, one size compared to my thumb, one type of showerhead available, Ikotoilet)